2023 Ford Explorer Problems, Recalls & Reliability
148 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2023 Ford Explorer, alongside 15 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 4/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Other leads the reports.
Typical
Where 2023 sits among all Explorer years
What owners report
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 31 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 10,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 3,000 and 22,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (15)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2027 Aviator and 2020-2026 Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, tipping, or sliding unexpectedly.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters explaining the safety risk are expected to be mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The seat belt anchor bolts at the second-row outer seating positions may be improperly secured.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the second-row outer seat belt lower anchor bolts and replace or repair them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 30, 2026. Owners may…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2020-2024 Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The image on the center display may flip or invert, resulting in an incorrectly displayed rearview image when the vehicle is…
Fix: Dealers will update the accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 23, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack…
Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco, Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, 2021-2022 Lincoln Navigator, Mustang, F-150, and 2022 Expedition vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump may fail, which can…
Fix: Dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump on super duty vehicles and update the powertrain control module (PCM) software on all other affected vehicles, free of charge. Owner notification…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023…
Fix: Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, folding, or sliding unexpectedly while driving.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the second-row seat switch, and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2025. Owners may contact Ford…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 23V-342. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from…
Fix: Dealers will update the Image Processing Module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these…
Fix: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Explorer vehicles. The right-front lower fastener connecting the steering knuckle and strut may be loose or missing.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the fasteners, and tighten or install them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 08, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Explorer vehicles equipped with a standard rearview camera. Due to a manufacturing error in the wire harness, the rearview camera may display a blue image on the SYNC screen when the vehicle is placed in…
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rearview camera wire harness and repair any loose splices, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Explorer vehicles equipped with 2.3L GTDI engines. The turbocharger oil supply line may be damaged, which can result in an oil leak inside the engine compartment.
Fix: Owners are advised to park and shut off the engine as soon as possible if they see an oil pressure warning light or smoke coming from the engine compartment. Dealers will replace the turbo oil…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles equipped with a 360-degree camera. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.
Fix: Dealers will replace the 360-degree camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 10, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 F-150, Mustang, Explorer, Bronco, and 2023 Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. The transmission may contain a loose bolt which could prevent the transmission from engaging…
Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the transmissions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 25, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles equipped with a 360-degree camera. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.
Fix: Dealers will update the image processing module (IPMB) software, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed April 25, 2023. Owner…
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2023 Ford Explorer reliable?
The 2023 Ford Explorer drew 148 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 4/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).
What are the most common 2023 Ford Explorer problems?
The top reported problems for the 2023 Ford Explorer are other (23 complaints), driver assistance (22), and electrical (15).
At what mileage do 2023 Ford Explorer problems show up?
Owners most often report 2023 Ford Explorer problems around 10,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 3,000 and 22,000 miles.
Does the 2023 Ford Explorer have recalls?
15 recall campaigns apply to the 2023 Ford Explorer. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.